Saturday 24 October 2009

Birmingham 2 - Sunderland 1 (Premier League)



After Alex McLeish had put out the rally call earlier in the week, St. Andrews erupted ten minutes before the break as Liam Ridgewell headed in Birmingham’s opener against the Black Cats. Three minutes into the second half and the Blues were 2-up, James McFadden collecting a cute flick from Jerome just inside the box before the Scot steadied himself and produced the killer finish. A Scott Dann own goal set up a nervy finish with eight minutes remaining as he haplessly volleyed in a Michael Turner header at the wrong end, but Birmingham held on for the points.

Birmingham
25 Hart, 02 Carr, 06 Ridgewell, 14 Johnson, 15 Dann og, 04 Bowyer, 07 Larsson (Carsley 84), 12 Ferguson, 10 Jerome, 11 Benitez, 16 McFadden (O'Connor 76)

Substitutes
01 Taylor, 20 Queudrue, 21 Parnaby, 19 McSheffrey, 26 Carsley, 08 O'Connor, 09 Phillips

Sunderland
01 Gordon, 02 Bardsley, 04 Turner, 05 Ferdinand, 08 Malbranque (Campbell 68), 10 Richardson, 16 Henderson (McCartney 68), 19 Cana (Zenden 68), 20 Reid, 11 Bent
17 Jones

Substitutes
32 Fulop, 03 McCartney, 06 Nosworthy, 22 Da Silva, 07 Zenden, 09 Campbell, 23 Healy

Ref: Atkinson
Att: 21,723

Saturday 17 October 2009

Arsenal 3 - Birmingham 1 (Premier League)



Two quick-fire goals on the quarter hour from Arsenal, first a tidy left-footed strike from Robin van Persie and then a confident back-post finish from Abou Diaby from Rosicky’s low cross, put the Arsenal in control. But in the 37th minute Birmingham hit back as fingers will be pointed at Vito Mannone for failing to deal with an up-and-under which Lee Bowyer was able to capitalise on. A late third from Andrei Arshavin wrapped up the points for Arsenal.

Saturday 3 October 2009

Burnley 2 - Birmingham City 1 (Premier League)



After a goalless first half at Turf Moor, Birmingham keeper Joe Hart should have had no trouble handling a weak left-foot effort from Steven Fletcher but the keeper allowed it to bounce off him and into the net. The Clarets soon chalked up number two, Andre Bikey pretending he was Franz Beckenbauer by strolling up from defence to play a one-two with Fletcher into the box and producing a fabulous finish to score. Sebastian Larsson netted a 90th minute free-kick consolation for Blues.

Burnley
12 Jensen, 02 Alexander, 05 Carlisle, 06 Caldwell, 14 Mears, 21 Bikey, 23 Jordan, 11 Elliott, 09 Fletcher (Eagles 72), 20 Blake (Kalvenes 90), 22 Nugent (Thompson 86)

Substitutes
01 Penny, 03 Kalvenes, 04 Duff, 07 McDonald, 08 Gudjonsson, 33 Eagles, 30 Thompson

Birmingham
25 Hart, 02 Carr, 14 Johnson, 15 Dann, 20 Queudrue (Ridgewell 46), 04 Bowyer
12 Ferguson, 18 Fahey (Larsson 46), 28 Tainio (Phillips 67), 08 O'Connor, 16 McFadden

Substitutes
01 Taylor, 06 Ridgewell, 07 Larsson, 19 McSheffrey, 24 O'Shea, 26 Carsley, 09 Phillips

Ref: Friend
Att: 20102